When We First Met
by chiefsexecutiveofficer
Summary: Kate tells the story of how she and Castle met at his book signing. "How are you supposed to tell someone you've never met that they are probably the reason you're still sane?". Fluff!


"Tell me about when you came to my book signing again," Castle said quietly as he lay down in bed with his arm around Kate. It was his favorite story even though when he had found out she had been to one of his book signings, he was mad at himself for not noticing her then. She didn't blame him, after all how could he possibly remember every single person whose book he's ever signed?

Kate smiled as Castle's thumb moved in slow circles on the outside of her hand. "It was a cold day in October and just days before I had seen an article in the newspaper that you were having a book singing at the bookstore only a few blocks away from my house."

"I remember reading that article and my heart just started beating really fast. My-" Kate paused and looked over and softly smiled at Castle, "my favorite author… coming so close to my house to have a book signing? It seemed like I just had to go. But I thought about it and somehow came to the conclusion that I would probably faint or something if I actually met you."

Castle let out a laugh and Kate lightly hit his bare chest. "What's so funny?" Kate asked, feigning anger.

"It's just that Kate Beckett, a member of the NYPD and someone who faces guns and fights pretty often at work, fainting because she's in the presence of her favorite author? You gotta admit that's pretty funny," Castle explained between suppressed laughs.

Kate shot one of her signature glares at Castle which made him stop laughing but he was still grinning from ear to ear.

"For your information, that did not actually happen. I just came to that conclusion for some reason. But anyways, my dad saw the article too and he knew how much I liked your books and how much they meant to me so he reminded me every day about it. He really wanted me to go and thought it would be good for me and that's probably why I did end up going," Kate said.

"I'm hurt that you only went at your father's urging. You didn't want to see my ruggedly handsome face in person?" Castle said with mock sadness.

Kate turned and reached out her hand to caress the side of Castle's face. "Of course I did." Her hand dropped back down as she slowly continued, "Truth is… I was afraid I would have a mental breakdown because your books helped me through the most difficult part of my life and to meet the man behind it… it would be a lot. How are you supposed to tell someone you've never met that they are probably the reason you're still sane?"

They both remained silent for a few moments. Even though Kate had told the story so many times before, Castle still felt moved by how his book were so important to her after her mother's murder.

"So, after all the times my dad told me to go, I found myself standing in line clutching onto your latest novel waiting to meet you. I swear that was the slowest moving line I have ever been in. When I got to the front I felt… frozen. You were right there, putting on a most likely fake smile and pretending you were enjoying all of the people saying over and over again how much they love your books."

"You had some scruff back then," Kate said as she stroked Castle's now clean-shaven chin.

Castle just wrinkled his nose and said, "Gina wanted me to keep the scruff. Said it boosted my image as the 'bad boy' writer."

"Oh Castle, you could never pull that one off," Kate replied teasingly.

"Woman you have no idea how much your words hurt me," Castle said as he put his hand to his heart and contorted his face to look like he was in pain.

Kate just smiled at him and continued the story, "I wanted to do something different than all those other fans. To say something other than 'I love your book'. But I just couldn't do it. I was too nervous to come up with anything special to say. I wanted to somehow tell you how your books truly helped me in my life. A million things I wanted to say were in my head but all I could say was 'Your books are great'. You told me you were glad I enjoyed them and asked me my name so you knew who to make it out to."

This was Castle' favorite part of the story, and he looked at Kate and saw the smile on her face as she looked up at the ceiling, remembering that day.

"I told you my name was Kate, and you told me it was a beautiful name. I told my dad about how you said you liked my name every day for at least a week. Then you signed the book _'To the beautiful Kate, may all your dreams come true'_… And now… here I am. Living my dream. Living with you."

Kate and Castle both looked at each other meaningfully for a few moments before Castle said, "Now that I think about it, in a way, my past self totally hooked us up. I gave you hope in your dreams and now here we are. Way to go self," he said, grinning.

Kate lightly hit Castle again and said, "Way to ruin the moment."

"Always," Castle said as he leaned over to kiss Kate.


End file.
